Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #24 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fund.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #24 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fund.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Thank you.
Seeing no more questions, I usually finish the round.
Having been on the movie industry review a couple of years ago, I know documentaries were brought up at every turn, and I know they're very important.
In listening to some of your concerns, again, long-term sustainable funding usually comes up at this committee. I've heard it from CBC and I've heard it from everyone.
To go back to 2000, was it a six-year project in 2000 or was it a five-year project that ran out at the end of 2005, with a one-year extension?
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
That's why I don't entirely understand the department. They couldn't extend it any further because they shot their bolt by asking Treasury Board for an extra year. It's why they have to now go back to try to get a multi-year agreement.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
It's not long-term sustainable funding. It was a five-year program to start with. It had a sunset clause at the end of 2005, and you were granted a one-year extension.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
Yes. It turned out to be a year and six months or something. As I said, it was for the first part of the year.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
It was a question I had when I saw this and from what I had seen before on various other funding.
I know sports was one thing, which goes back to when I first sat on the sports committee. The minister came and said he had requested $30 million more. The budget had been $90 million, and then, lo and behold, when the announcement was made, the budget was $100 million. When we asked for an explanation, it was because $20 million of that $90 million had a sunset; the program had a sunset clause. The $30 million only brought it up.
I know for some of these things it sounds like a lot when you think $30 million has been added, but it's not quite that much if $20 million has been taken off.
Again, long-term sustainable funding would be such that you wouldn't have to wait until the end of 2005 to find out if you could get an extension. An extension would have been thought about somewhere along the line. You'd always be two or three years ahead, and you'd then know the funding is going to be there.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
It would be nice. In all fairness, though, I have to say that the bureaucrats of the department have been very helpful and very supportive. I know they have a lot of other pressures. I don't want to criticize them at all.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
It was my pleasure.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
I think a lot of folks around this table had questions answered.
I wish you all the best.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
Thank you very much.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative